The other week I was working on IWHJ and thinking about what comes next after landing your dream job. What is it that motivates someone? What is the next goal for one to conquer? And, all of a sudden it became super obvious — what comes next is giving back. It’s helping someone who looks up to you get a leg up in their career. It’s volunteering to mentor others in search of a little advice and guidance. It’s answering e-mails from someone who wants to be in your position. And it’s helping those less fortunate.
This is why I decided to launch a first-of-its-kind campaign between I Want Her Job and a nonprofit, She’s the First. She’s the First is an organization founded by my dear friend (and IWHJ alum) Tammy Tibbetts. Tammy started She’s the First (along with her fabulous executive director and vice president, Christen Brandt) to spread the word and raise money so that girls in developing countries could become the first in their families to get an education.
Did you know studies show that every year of schooling in developing countries increases a girl’s future earning power by 10 and 20 percent. And girls in these countries who receive an education marry later, have fewer children and seek health care for themselves and their children. In short, She’s the First believes that through education, we can begin to impact the health and livelihood of generations to come in these countries, and by doing so, can change the world.
I wanted I Want Her Job to support She’s the First the way I felt that we as a community could do it best — through launching an online campaign unique in its fundraising efforts — ‘Likes’ for Learning. So, this week, for each new person who “likes” I Want Her Job on Facebook, or follows the site on Twitter, $1 will be donated to She’s the First and Starfish One by One, a She’s the First partnership organization in Guatemala that provides personalized mentorship, reproductive education, IT literacy, environmental stewardship, women’s rights advocacy and leadership skills.
My goal is to raise enough money to provide sponsorship for a group of girls for a year. And that’s where I need your help.
So please, join the I Want Her Job community in supporting She’s the First and Starfish One by One. Like or follow us if you don’t already. And if you do, help us by passing word of the campaign along to your friends. Because like by like, and follow by follow, we will help provide education and mentorship to girls who need our encouragement.
–> Like I Want Her Job on Facebook
–> Follow I Want Her Job on Twitter
As of the time this post was published, at midnight on Monday, Dec. 1, IWHJ has 252 Facebook fans and 202 Twitter followers.
Let’s see where we can get to by Friday and show how supportive the I Want Her Job community is of educating, mentoring and empowering women!